Nola Home

September 30, 2006

Set within a Bryn Mawr vintage storefront, Nola Home (404 Penn Ave. S., Mpls., 612-374-4066) is a breath of fresh air with a big personality. Owner Kelly Dorsey is well known locally for her Wickerworks store (near Lake Calhoun), as well as her role as the former director of The Design Studio at Gabberts. She stepped away from retail for a time, but says retail and design have always been in her blood—so she’s back with a concept that she calls “remix.” The emphasis, says Dorsey, is on a “mix of styles, textures, cultures, and sensibilities—a global mix,” and her goal is to bring items to the Twin Cities that haven’t been available locally.

Items include the modern, vintage, and antique, plus rare and global finds. You may discover a pair of new beaded earrings or a string of vintage African beads. A pencil made from Chinese newspaper or an Asian bench. Beautiful linens, pillows and throws—Italian cashmere, Tibetan wool, Chinese silk—rugs, baskets, select furniture pieces, jewelry, scarves, shawls, and tote bags. For those who like to explore farther than their own backyard, she also offers a series of hip travel books.

* Nola Home will soon carry a “green” line of upholstered furniture made of all organic materials. The contemporary and stylish pieces arrive later this month.

* Dorsey plans to host trunk shows, speakers, and special events to showcase artisans, craftspeople, organizations, and exclusive vendors that meet the global, design, and fair-trade mission of her shop.